All posts in “Re-invent Your Strata”

Those of you who follow the MiCasa Twitter feed, will know that I’m a big fan of independent journalism. When it comes to independent journalism in British Columbia, it doesn’t get much better than The Tyee. So when The Tyee ran a Jesse Donaldson article that took a tongue-in-cheek swipe at the famously aloof nature of West Coasters, I was caught howling with laughter, shouting “it’s true, it’s so true” at my screen. Continue Reading…

If you love shoes, you might be familiar with online shoe retailer zappos.com. I’m a Zappos fanboy, but not because of their selection of fancy, must have, running shoes, I’m a fan of their culture. Zappos’ CEO Tony Hsieh (pronounced Shay) believes that people are happiest when they are part of something bigger than themselves – a higher purpose. Tony has made this ideology the cornerstone of Zappos’ culture, and for this reason Zappos is consistently rated one of the best companies in the United States to work for.

From a business point of view, Tony is a visionary, but the idea that people are happier having a higher purpose is not a new one. In fact this same idea can be applied to your condo, apartment or townhouse to create your own amazing culture and help Re-invent Your Strata. Continue Reading…

We’re all guilty of whining from time to time. I whine about Canada’s position on the environment (what’s with Bill C-38 anyway?), I moan about the rain, I rant about reality TV, and don’t get me started on media ownership. Anyway, my point is we all whine, and for the most part I’m okay with it. Continue Reading…

I talk quite a lot about the benefits that engaged residents will have on your community. Seeking resident feedback is the key to engaging residents. However, strata councils are afraid of seeking resident feedback because they’re concerned of opening a nightmarish pandora’s box.

Truth is, if you want to Re-invent Your Strata, you need to seek feedback from residents whenever possible. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Continue Reading…

Anyone who lives in a townhouse, condo or apartment is familiar with the term Annual General Meeting (AGM). It’s universally accepted that AGMs are the best way to keep residents informed, seek opinion on important issues, approve budgets and elect councils.

Unfortunately, the antiquated Annual General Meeting is flawed by definition. Even for the smallest strata, a single yearly meeting cannot adequately summarize a year’s worth of council decisions, provide operational transparency, or come close to providing enough information for residents to make good decisions on important strata issues. Continue Reading…

If you’re a member of your building’s strata council, always show the best intent for the residents that you represent. Allow residents to see that you care for their needs, rather than serving your own. By doing so, you will breed a culture of trust, engage residents and Re-invent Your Strata.

Last week, I had an enjoyable chat with Charles. Charles is the president of his strata, located in Burnaby, British Columbia.

I admire Charles for the respect he showed his fellow strata council members, his appreciation for residents and how he acknowledged the good work done by their property management company. Charles is a perfect case-study on how showing the best intent for the people involved in your building will Re-invent Your Strata. Continue Reading…

Encouraging residents to lend a hand in your building will Re-invent Your Strata. Relatively simple acts like helping the elderly lady on the third floor carry her groceries or feeding your neighbour’s cat while they’re away, have an immeasurable knock-on effect within a residential building. Continue Reading…